A friend of my from Lake Zurich High School , a bridesmaid in our wedding, and the woman who introduced me to Jay, wrote the following letter and asked me to post it on my blog. She is walking with a team in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure. I know it will be emotional, but I will be there when her and her team cross the finish line in Chicago this summer. She is doing a wonderful thing, and I am so grateful for her support. As with most freindships, the ebb and flow of life take you apart sometimes, and we have not kept in constant contact. Upon hearing of my diagnosis, she was one of the friends that stepped up, and supported my journey. She is such a kind and thoughtful person, and I appreciate her support. Please read her letter below. Thank you!
Imagine the Unimaginable…
Exactly one year ago, my high school friend, Kari, had a life changing experience when she sat in a doctor’s office, and heard the words… “You have Stage 3 breast cancer”. At age 33, with a four year old little boy and a one year old baby girl at home, all she kept thinking was…. I have to stay healthy and take care of my babies! After a year of chemo and ongoing radiation, she continues her battle against cancer.
Her fight against cancer along with many other loved ones, has inspired me to join the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure that is held this August. As a walker, I must raise $2300. Once my goal has been met, I plan to donate all the additional proceeds to Kari and her family to assist them in paying their ridiculously high medical bills.
Please take a moment to email me and let me know if you would be willing to donate to this cause by writing a check in my name or purchasing a raffle ticket. The raffle tickets cost $10 each. They will be sold from now until the end of May. Each week in June, tickets will be chosen and winners will have the chance to win $50 or $300 in rewards.
Thank you for your support!!!
Jaime DeBlieck
jdeblieck@district158.org
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Easter!
We had a beautiful Easter weekend, and I hope you did too. I only have a few pictures on my camera, so I will ask Jay to upload his this weekend. On Good Friday we colored eggs, and James and I made a bunny cake from scratch. On Holy Saturday I prepared a few dishes for the next day, set the table, and our friends Alex, Reg, Nick and Nate came over to play. It was so much fun to see them! On Easter Sunday the kids woke up and this year they had to hunt for their baskets. The Easter Bunny (EB) hid James' in the shower on the 4th floor and Katie's by the couch on the 2nd floor. James got a bit frustrated as he didn't find his in the first 5 minutes of hunting. That EB is sneaky!!!! Then we all got dressed and went to church. It was a wonderful service, and Father Carl had a wonderful message about hope. So incredibly relevant and inspiring. His homily made me cry. Then, when we went up for communion, Fr. Carl said that I was the picture of hope. So true, and so touching. I just have to do everything doctors tell me, put my faith and trust in God, and pray and hope that I have many more years to enjoy my family before I leave this earth.
Everyone came over to our home for Easter dinner, and brought goodies baskets and yummy dishes for dinner. We enjoyed an easter egg hunt outside, and then James had fun recreating the hunt inside for the little girls. Half way through the day, I was just too tired and needed to take a nap. My poor mom got stuck with clean up duty by herself. Something else I owe her for.... Here are some pictures from the day. More from Jay's camera to follow.
before church
Everyone came over to our home for Easter dinner, and brought goodies baskets and yummy dishes for dinner. We enjoyed an easter egg hunt outside, and then James had fun recreating the hunt inside for the little girls. Half way through the day, I was just too tired and needed to take a nap. My poor mom got stuck with clean up duty by herself. Something else I owe her for.... Here are some pictures from the day. More from Jay's camera to follow.
Katie and Great Papa reading
James enjoying a marshmallow bunny from Mama Lynn
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
One Year "Anniversary"
Today marks one year from when I hear the devastating words, "you have breast cancer." If you recall, I had left off after the biopsy in retelling my story. After the biopsy, I had a fashion show to finish prepping for, and to distract me through the weekend. When it was over on Saturday afternoon, I felt good. That Sunday, was ok, kept myself busy and enjoyed my family and a normal Sunday afternoon. Sunday night was different. I couldn't sleep, and finally about 3am I broke down. In my heart I just knew the results were not going to be good. I literally sobbed for a good half an hour and then I woke Jay up to talk to him. I told him that I just knew it wasn't going to be good and I was scared. He held me and I finally went to sleep. In the morning, I woke up alone. Jay had gone to work. I hadn't expected him to go to work, as I was really upset, and didn't want to be alone. He called me a little later and said he was trying to get everything squared away so he could stay home on Tuesday and be with me as we waited for the phone call from the doctor. So, I went about my day. Taking James to school, running errands and taking care of Katie. About 1:30 Katie and I were standing in line at the post office (South Oak Park Station for you locals) and my cell phone rang. It was my doctor. She asked me where I was and if I could talk. I told her I was in line at the post office with Katie but it sounded like I needed to get out of line and go back to my car. She said yes and told me she'd wait while I did that. I walked back out to the car, put Katie in her carseat and said okay. That's when she told me what I already knew. I surprisingly was calm on the phone. She told me I needed to come to her office sometime that afternoon. I told her that I'd be there as soon as I could. I then called Jay, who I couldn't get a hold of, so I had to call his co-worker, poor guy had to listen to me cry, and tell him to get Jay off the phone and call me asap. Jay called me back a few minutes later and I told him, and said to meet me at the doctor's office. I also asked him to call my mom and tell her she needed to pick James up as we had to go to the doctor. I drove to the doctors office in River Forest with Katie, a very short trip. I was crying, but not hysterically, and all Katie kept saying from the backseat was "I sorry mommy, I sorry." Broke my heart. My sweet wonderful daughter knew something was wrong, and I never wanted her to experience any pain, and here I was scaring her and making her cry. That's when I decided I couldn't take her there and called my friend Alex. She was the first person I told after Jay. She let me bring Katie over to her and watched her. She hugged me and told me how sorry she was to hear my news. Then I went back to the doctor's office and waited for Jay. He arrived and we walked in together. This doctor's office is not known for being on time, and now the waiting room was packed. Without even an appointment as soon as I walked in the door, they brought me into the office. The first thing the doctor did was hug me and tell me how sorry she was. I remember thinking, wow, this is the second person to hug me and tell me how sorry they are. This must be really bad. We went through the things we needed to do, decided on a hospital for treatment so the doctor to make some calls so I could be seen, and did some other things they needed me to do. Then we headed home. I knew this was going to devastate my parents, and I also knew I didn't want James there, so since Jay and I had driven two cars we went home together in one and I asked him to go in first and take James over to Alex's so that I could talk to my parents. My mom literally reacted like she was punched in the stomach. I will never forget her reaction and I will never forgive myself for bringing this terrible news to her, and the rest of my family. And my dad, my strong dad, was devastated. He was my hero growing up, as most dads are. If I broke something, he would fix it. If I needed to learn how to do something, he showed me how. But here I was bringing him something he couldn't fix. My parents spent a lot of time with me that week, and have continued to spend a lot of time with me this past year. If it was not for my parents and their help this year, I could not have gotten through this. I keep thanking my parents and my mom just says, we're your parents, and that's what parents do. But not all parents do it, or to the extent that my parents have done. There has been lots of people that have helped me throughout this year, and they have all played an important part in my journey that I am very thankful for, but my parents were always the "go to" people. I knew, no matter what, that if I asked them to do something, anything, they would do it. And even when I told them take a week off, don't come, we'll be fine, they came anyway, knowing that I really needed the help, but wanted to give them a break. No breaks for them, no breaks for me.
It has been one year. It has been a rough year, a tough year, a scary year, a sad year. I recently told someone that I think a cancer diagnosis should be followed by a delivery of a car and a baseball bat. I have visions of that Carrie Underwood video "He Cheats" where she "dug her key into the side of that pretty little souped up four wheel drive", "took a Louisville slugger to both headlights slashed a hole in all four tires" and how gratifying it would be some days to beat the crap out of something. How after a year I am still not done with treatment, still can't take care of my family without the help of others, still can't make some people realize what this is doing to me and my family, how I need help and can't do this alone.
BUT, it has been a year of many people helping me, making me meals, watching my children, holding fundraisers, sending me cards and get well gifts, calling and checking on me. Being there for me.
If it weren't for my kids, I would have crawled under my covers, stuck my head in the sand and only gone to what I had to this past year. When I realize that every day I have to get up, get myself together, get my kids together, run errands, complete tasks, I realize that it forcing me to LIVE. I may not be doing what I want to do, how I want to do it, or when I want to do it, but it forces me to live in the moment. Take it one step at a time, one day at a time, one hour at a time, one task at a time.
I have to admit there are days where I feel guilty for doing this to my kids, my family, my marriage. I am robbing my children of their innocence, of their mommy taking them places, playing with them, and instead I am showing them what sick is, creating fear in their eyes. I am taking time away from my parents, time they could be spending in different ways that taking care of me again. My mother should not know the ins and outs of my house. She should not know Katie and James' classmates, teachers and the staff at school by name. She should not be raising a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Yet she has to, because I can't. I am taking their time. And my husband, my marriage. This is not how a couple in their 30's should be behaving. We should be planning date nights and vacations, not who is going to watch the kids while I go to a doctor's appointment or not how he is going to get work done and take care of the kids. I am also missing out on fun with my friends. My friends and I should be going out to dinner, meeting for drinks, going for girls weekends. They should not be taking me to treatments and doctors appointments, or bringing me meals.
But, what I hope I am doing is showing my children strength, courage and perseverance. I hope, I pray, that this is a day that I celebrate every year, for it is another year of survival. I hope that next year at this time, my life has returned to a new normal. That I am back in full swing, caring for my kids, living with my husband, helping Jay with his business, working my CAbi business, volunteering again, and not waking up every day thinking about cancer, and going to sleep each night thinking about cancer. I hope that each year I grow more and more at ease, and I hope that very soon, a cure is found for cancer. Before it is too late for one more person.
It has been one year. It has been a rough year, a tough year, a scary year, a sad year. I recently told someone that I think a cancer diagnosis should be followed by a delivery of a car and a baseball bat. I have visions of that Carrie Underwood video "He Cheats" where she "dug her key into the side of that pretty little souped up four wheel drive", "took a Louisville slugger to both headlights slashed a hole in all four tires" and how gratifying it would be some days to beat the crap out of something. How after a year I am still not done with treatment, still can't take care of my family without the help of others, still can't make some people realize what this is doing to me and my family, how I need help and can't do this alone.
BUT, it has been a year of many people helping me, making me meals, watching my children, holding fundraisers, sending me cards and get well gifts, calling and checking on me. Being there for me.
If it weren't for my kids, I would have crawled under my covers, stuck my head in the sand and only gone to what I had to this past year. When I realize that every day I have to get up, get myself together, get my kids together, run errands, complete tasks, I realize that it forcing me to LIVE. I may not be doing what I want to do, how I want to do it, or when I want to do it, but it forces me to live in the moment. Take it one step at a time, one day at a time, one hour at a time, one task at a time.
I have to admit there are days where I feel guilty for doing this to my kids, my family, my marriage. I am robbing my children of their innocence, of their mommy taking them places, playing with them, and instead I am showing them what sick is, creating fear in their eyes. I am taking time away from my parents, time they could be spending in different ways that taking care of me again. My mother should not know the ins and outs of my house. She should not know Katie and James' classmates, teachers and the staff at school by name. She should not be raising a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Yet she has to, because I can't. I am taking their time. And my husband, my marriage. This is not how a couple in their 30's should be behaving. We should be planning date nights and vacations, not who is going to watch the kids while I go to a doctor's appointment or not how he is going to get work done and take care of the kids. I am also missing out on fun with my friends. My friends and I should be going out to dinner, meeting for drinks, going for girls weekends. They should not be taking me to treatments and doctors appointments, or bringing me meals.
But, what I hope I am doing is showing my children strength, courage and perseverance. I hope, I pray, that this is a day that I celebrate every year, for it is another year of survival. I hope that next year at this time, my life has returned to a new normal. That I am back in full swing, caring for my kids, living with my husband, helping Jay with his business, working my CAbi business, volunteering again, and not waking up every day thinking about cancer, and going to sleep each night thinking about cancer. I hope that each year I grow more and more at ease, and I hope that very soon, a cure is found for cancer. Before it is too late for one more person.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Half Way There!
Hi all! I am typing this one handed and although I wanted to not post again until Tuesday, I thought it was important to post an update. I have made it to the half way point of radiation. yeah! Now the reason why I am typing one handed? My skin is starting to "turn" and I have been instructed to lay for one hour a day, arm over my head, radiation area slathered in aquaphor with a fan blowing on it. Why? I don't know, but it must help in some capacity. And even though I'm tired, I can't sit still as it is not a comfortable position. I am tired, so tired, my skin is getting red and yucky, and I am struggling to get all the things I need to get done every day. I am tired but it is hard to rest when your hand is over your head and you're freezing from a fan blowing on you. I just have to stay positive, look at how close I am to being done and suck it up- it could be worse. Plus, I am not in any pain since I really have no feeling in the radiated area from my surgery. My radiation area is fairly large and runs from above my collarbone, across my shoulder, under my arm, down my side and across my chest. They are treating me agressively and doing all they can to deliver it as safe as possible. They are radiating a tiny part of my lung and that scares me, a lot.
My radiation experience has overall been very positive. My techs are usually the same and wonderful, the room is the same, the waiting room is nice, it's a quick process and Loyola finally gave me a parking pass! What is not cool is even though they did all these measurements, gave me three tattoos (real tattoos, that I will always have) to line me up, take xrays each week and perform all these rituals to deliver the radiation consistently in the right area and in the safest way, I have lost a few pounds and have thrown all that preplanning off. So, each time I go now it's move this way, move that way, lift up, squeeze down and there is even days where they resort to taping me to the table to move parts out of the way. Makes me want to run out and eat a big ice cream sundae and gain a few pounds back! However, I am trying to eat healthier and make better food choices, as well as get back into my clothes that are too small. Plus, it is not even 5 pounds that I've lost, but last week they told me that losing even one pound can throw everything off. Something else I didn't know about radiation. But, I am impressed with the techs and how hard they work to get it exactly right and if they are unsure, they double check, triple check and bring someone else in to check their work. All that makes me feel like I am receiving the best care and am in the best hands. It is still frightening to think that I could be going through all this and one day, one cell that resisted all this treatment could attach somewhere new and grow, and I can be in this hell again. I chose to have that thought, realize that yes that might happen, but it hasn't yet, and maybe, hopefully, God-willing, never will, and then LET IT GO!
My radiation experience has overall been very positive. My techs are usually the same and wonderful, the room is the same, the waiting room is nice, it's a quick process and Loyola finally gave me a parking pass! What is not cool is even though they did all these measurements, gave me three tattoos (real tattoos, that I will always have) to line me up, take xrays each week and perform all these rituals to deliver the radiation consistently in the right area and in the safest way, I have lost a few pounds and have thrown all that preplanning off. So, each time I go now it's move this way, move that way, lift up, squeeze down and there is even days where they resort to taping me to the table to move parts out of the way. Makes me want to run out and eat a big ice cream sundae and gain a few pounds back! However, I am trying to eat healthier and make better food choices, as well as get back into my clothes that are too small. Plus, it is not even 5 pounds that I've lost, but last week they told me that losing even one pound can throw everything off. Something else I didn't know about radiation. But, I am impressed with the techs and how hard they work to get it exactly right and if they are unsure, they double check, triple check and bring someone else in to check their work. All that makes me feel like I am receiving the best care and am in the best hands. It is still frightening to think that I could be going through all this and one day, one cell that resisted all this treatment could attach somewhere new and grow, and I can be in this hell again. I chose to have that thought, realize that yes that might happen, but it hasn't yet, and maybe, hopefully, God-willing, never will, and then LET IT GO!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
April 12, 2010
Today marks exactly one year from when I found my lump and called the doctor to see if I should come in and get it checked out. If you have not heard my story, James and I were laying in bed reading stories. I like him to lay on my left side, but that day he insisted on laying on my right side. When getting up, he elbowed me in the chest and it hurt. On the 12th I finally realized that it still hurt and thought he must have bruised me, so I felt around and found the lump. I called Jay and I called the ob/gyn who said to come in that afternoon. I called my neighbor Alex and left Katie with her, and went to the doctor. She felt it and said I should get a mammogram and left the room. She came back a few minutes later and gave me an appointment card for the next day for the mammogram. That freaked me out and I picked up Katie, then I picked up James and I drove to my mom's house to show her the lump. She told me not to worry and that she was sure it was a fibroid. And the fact it hurt was a good sign too. That made me feel better, but I still was feeling like something bad was wrong. My mom and dad said they'd come the next day to watch the kids so I could go to my mammogram.
The next day I went to the mammogram and when I checked in, the woman behind he desk asked me what a young thing like me was doing in a place like this. I said I found a lump. She said, don't worry because you are too young for cancer. I immediately thought you are wrong, but I said nothing. The mammogram tech also was surprised to see me when I walked into the room. She chatted me up and started taking pictures. Then she stopped talking so much and started concentrating and moving me all around and taking more and more pictures. She then said we were done but for me not to change my clothes. She then called me back again to take a few more pictures. Then I waited. After a while, another woman came into the room and said there were suspicious areas and that she wanted to do a biopsy, and then asked me if I had any questions and sent me down the hall to make the biopsy appointment. When I sat in that office, with all the pink ribbon stuff all around and the woman started asking me questions, that's when I started crying. I knew something was wrong, and I could tell these women thought so too. I got back in my car, called Jay, cried, and tried to pull myself together to get back home. When I got home my mom tried to make me feel better and said that it is scary to have a mammogram that showed something that someone wanted to biopsy, but she's been through it before and she was fine, and I would be too. Again, I wasn't so sure, but I thought let's not get too worked up about this right now. Jay came home from work early and him and I actually went out to dinner. I remember sitting at that dinner, with all kinds of things going through my head, things are going to be ok, things are not going to be ok, what is going to happen next, what does this mean, and this can't this be happening to me. Jay said that it would be nothing, but we would use this as a wake up call to be healthier, take better care of ourselves and if it wasn't ok, we'd fight it and beat it. On the 14th, all hell broke loose. My parents came back to again watch the kids for the biopsy, James had the stomach flu and was vomiting every 15 minutes, Jay was at work and Katie had pink eye. I called Jay home, he took Katie to the doctor and dropped me off for my biopsy appointment (conveniently located in the same parking lot). I went in for the biopsy and the doctor was kind of cold and acted like I was an unneeded biopsy. I chatted, the nurses chatted, and as the ultrasound and biopsy continued the doctor softened, I could tell on her face that she didn't like what she was seeing. I went from being a bother, to being an issue. I felt it. I found a way to tell her that I had two little babies a little boy who was 4 and a little girl who was 1. I felt like I needed her to know that I had to live and I had to take care of these babies. I felt like if I said I had little kids, someone somewhere would realize that I was 33 years old and too young to have cancer and they would quick change something and everything would be ok. I didn't have time for cancer. Hell, half the time I didn't have time to take a shower. When they finished the biopsy they put one of those little metal breast cancer ribbons in to mark the spot. I thought I think I'll have a permanent reminder of breast cancer and I wouldn't need that clip. I got an ice pack and went outside to wait for Jay and to wait for the biopsy results, which they told would be faxed to my ob/gyn and she'd be contacting me with the results.
Wait, Wait Wait.... Luckily I had a good distraction, as I was chairing the fashion show fundraiser for Church and it was coming up on Saturday the 17th. I felt ok after the biopsy, and wasn't that worried about the results. It was strange how I was so scared, and then I was like everything was going to be ok.
The rest of the story will be continued on the 19th.....
The next day I went to the mammogram and when I checked in, the woman behind he desk asked me what a young thing like me was doing in a place like this. I said I found a lump. She said, don't worry because you are too young for cancer. I immediately thought you are wrong, but I said nothing. The mammogram tech also was surprised to see me when I walked into the room. She chatted me up and started taking pictures. Then she stopped talking so much and started concentrating and moving me all around and taking more and more pictures. She then said we were done but for me not to change my clothes. She then called me back again to take a few more pictures. Then I waited. After a while, another woman came into the room and said there were suspicious areas and that she wanted to do a biopsy, and then asked me if I had any questions and sent me down the hall to make the biopsy appointment. When I sat in that office, with all the pink ribbon stuff all around and the woman started asking me questions, that's when I started crying. I knew something was wrong, and I could tell these women thought so too. I got back in my car, called Jay, cried, and tried to pull myself together to get back home. When I got home my mom tried to make me feel better and said that it is scary to have a mammogram that showed something that someone wanted to biopsy, but she's been through it before and she was fine, and I would be too. Again, I wasn't so sure, but I thought let's not get too worked up about this right now. Jay came home from work early and him and I actually went out to dinner. I remember sitting at that dinner, with all kinds of things going through my head, things are going to be ok, things are not going to be ok, what is going to happen next, what does this mean, and this can't this be happening to me. Jay said that it would be nothing, but we would use this as a wake up call to be healthier, take better care of ourselves and if it wasn't ok, we'd fight it and beat it. On the 14th, all hell broke loose. My parents came back to again watch the kids for the biopsy, James had the stomach flu and was vomiting every 15 minutes, Jay was at work and Katie had pink eye. I called Jay home, he took Katie to the doctor and dropped me off for my biopsy appointment (conveniently located in the same parking lot). I went in for the biopsy and the doctor was kind of cold and acted like I was an unneeded biopsy. I chatted, the nurses chatted, and as the ultrasound and biopsy continued the doctor softened, I could tell on her face that she didn't like what she was seeing. I went from being a bother, to being an issue. I felt it. I found a way to tell her that I had two little babies a little boy who was 4 and a little girl who was 1. I felt like I needed her to know that I had to live and I had to take care of these babies. I felt like if I said I had little kids, someone somewhere would realize that I was 33 years old and too young to have cancer and they would quick change something and everything would be ok. I didn't have time for cancer. Hell, half the time I didn't have time to take a shower. When they finished the biopsy they put one of those little metal breast cancer ribbons in to mark the spot. I thought I think I'll have a permanent reminder of breast cancer and I wouldn't need that clip. I got an ice pack and went outside to wait for Jay and to wait for the biopsy results, which they told would be faxed to my ob/gyn and she'd be contacting me with the results.
Wait, Wait Wait.... Luckily I had a good distraction, as I was chairing the fashion show fundraiser for Church and it was coming up on Saturday the 17th. I felt ok after the biopsy, and wasn't that worried about the results. It was strange how I was so scared, and then I was like everything was going to be ok.
The rest of the story will be continued on the 19th.....
Thursday, April 7, 2011
My sweet Katie Kate!
When I went to pick Katie up from school her teacher pointed out the following note...
She said that Katie was so decisive and quick to answer what she was thankful for and commented on how heartfelt her response was to the question. I just love my Katie and she is just such a sweetheart. I really am so blessed to have her in my life. When the doctors first told us she was a girl, I was a little perplexed. I was so sure we were having another boy and I wasn't sure that I'd know what to do with a little girl. I was also a little bit sad for James because I wanted him to have a little brother/playmate.
Now, I cannot imagine my life without her and I am so glad that God gave me a perfect little girl. Especially now that I can't have any more babies, I am so happy that I have two children that are perfect in their own way. Katie brings so much sweetness, life, love and joy into our hearts and home. She is truly a happy kid. And her and James play nicely together (for the most part) and are true playmates. Hopefully they will always be close. That is what I work to instill in them every day, a lifelong bond and relationship that can bloom into a true adult friendship one day.
She said that Katie was so decisive and quick to answer what she was thankful for and commented on how heartfelt her response was to the question. I just love my Katie and she is just such a sweetheart. I really am so blessed to have her in my life. When the doctors first told us she was a girl, I was a little perplexed. I was so sure we were having another boy and I wasn't sure that I'd know what to do with a little girl. I was also a little bit sad for James because I wanted him to have a little brother/playmate.
Now, I cannot imagine my life without her and I am so glad that God gave me a perfect little girl. Especially now that I can't have any more babies, I am so happy that I have two children that are perfect in their own way. Katie brings so much sweetness, life, love and joy into our hearts and home. She is truly a happy kid. And her and James play nicely together (for the most part) and are true playmates. Hopefully they will always be close. That is what I work to instill in them every day, a lifelong bond and relationship that can bloom into a true adult friendship one day.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Katie and her Guitar...
Sorry all... I've been delinquent in my blogging responsibilities.
We took this video of Katie last week. Rob & Audrey gave her this guitar for Christmas and 4 months later, it is still one of her favorite toys. In addition to strumming, she has all of the lyrics down pat.
Yes, many of you will recognise the song that the guitar plays as that club hit from the mid-1990's. Somehow, Mattel can take "life in plastic, it's fantastic" and make it suitable for little girls.
Enjoy!
Jay
We took this video of Katie last week. Rob & Audrey gave her this guitar for Christmas and 4 months later, it is still one of her favorite toys. In addition to strumming, she has all of the lyrics down pat.
Yes, many of you will recognise the song that the guitar plays as that club hit from the mid-1990's. Somehow, Mattel can take "life in plastic, it's fantastic" and make it suitable for little girls.
Enjoy!
Jay
What a Difference A Year Makes....
Last year, one of the last things we did as a family before I found something wrong, and was diagnosed, was take the el downtown to Field's to see the Flower Show. It was a beautiful day and we then went to Millenium Park to let the kids run around in the grass. I remember feeling so tired, and not really myself. I also really wanted a nice picture of me and the kids, and of course the kids weren't too cooperative. Here is a picture from that day....
Today, we went again, and this time we also had lunch in the Walnut Room. The kids love the "el" train ride, and I always like to go to the State Street Fields. (ok, so I know it's now called Macy's, but I don't like the name change. That location will always be Marshall Field's). Here are some pictures from today.
It was really pretty. I also wanted to mention that I completed the first week of radiation. So far, so good. The techs are super nice, the drive is short, and finally, they gave me a parking pass so I don't have to pay $5 every time I set foot on the Loyola campus. This first week was a little rough since the treatment time was 8:45, but now it has switched to 9:30, so I shall have an easier time getting the kids to school and then going to treatment. No side effects yet. I am trying to rest every day, so that I don't get too tired, and hopefully can keep the fatigue at bay, but we shall see! Feeling better, looking forward to spring and my eyebrows are coming back to the point where they almost need waxing! What more could I ask for?!?!?!
Today, we went again, and this time we also had lunch in the Walnut Room. The kids love the "el" train ride, and I always like to go to the State Street Fields. (ok, so I know it's now called Macy's, but I don't like the name change. That location will always be Marshall Field's). Here are some pictures from today.
It was really pretty. I also wanted to mention that I completed the first week of radiation. So far, so good. The techs are super nice, the drive is short, and finally, they gave me a parking pass so I don't have to pay $5 every time I set foot on the Loyola campus. This first week was a little rough since the treatment time was 8:45, but now it has switched to 9:30, so I shall have an easier time getting the kids to school and then going to treatment. No side effects yet. I am trying to rest every day, so that I don't get too tired, and hopefully can keep the fatigue at bay, but we shall see! Feeling better, looking forward to spring and my eyebrows are coming back to the point where they almost need waxing! What more could I ask for?!?!?!
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